Kendrick Meek: Crist offered me his sister’s cross to get me to drop out

posted at 9:38 pm on October 29, 2010 by Allahpundit

I think this is going to be my last Crist post of the year, guys. I can’t deal with it anymore. Even a devout cynic can only take so much.

Mr. Crist, the Florida governor, had called Mr. Meek, a Miami congressman, earlier that morning, about 4:50 a.m., leaving a voice mail asking if they could meet up at the AIPAC gathering. “I’ll call you later this morning and see if we can work out a time to get together just you and me,” Mr. Crist said in the voice mail, which was played for Washington Wire by Mr. Meek. “Take care, buddy.”

Mr. Meek was scheduled to speak at AIPAC about 8:30 and Mr. Crist at 10, but the governor showed up an hour early in hopes of catching the congressman.

Mr. Meek said he tried to avoid Mr. Crist, but as he left the stage, “there he was, right in front of me.”

“He said, ‘If you were to drop out and work with me and help me we together can beat Marco Rubio,’” Mr. Meek recalled. “I said, ‘Governor, that’s a non-starter.’

“Then he dug down into his pocket and pulled a small cross out,” Mr. Meek continued. “He said his sister gave it to him and he wanted to give it to me so I would think about it.”

Because, you see, Jesus wants Charlie Crist in the Senate. Meek claims he was shocked: “I told him to keep the cross and that I carry my Christianity in my heart.” Which is a noble reply, but alas, my friends, nobility doesn’t always carry the day. According to a new story just published by the NYT, some of Meek’s black supporters are already starting to defect to Crist thanks in part to Bill Clinton’s involvement in all this. Which, of course, is precisely why that story was leaked to Politico yesterday in the first place.

Update: I wonder if this incident helps explain why Meek changed his mind about dropping out. Maybe he’s now so creeped out by Crist that he figures, whatever it may mean for Rubio, he’s got to stay in and deny this guy as many votes as possible. I don’t blame him a bit.

Lizzie, a large part of my family is 1/2 Mexican. And German. What a combo, huh? Serioiusly though… My uncle is Mexican but he came from a different generation; the people who wanted to be here and who wanted to be Americans.

In my line of business, I meet many illegals. They all have their own stories; many have been here for years. Many are law abiding people just trying to make a living. I respect that. But, we are a Nation of Laws and not of men. That’s the hardest part of my job.

And please trust me when I say, factually, that there are too many opportunists taking advantage of our good will and our good nature. It is the opportunists that commit crimes, steal benefits and spit in the faces of everyone because they honestly believe that they are…. entitled.

Well, I’m Mexican/Spanish on my dad’s side, then Scottish/Danish/Welsh/American Indian on my mom’s. It is a strange brew.

I realize many are just here to take advantage of the job market, and most of those have zero interest in becoming citizens unless it’s handed to them. They would be happier if they could do the same thing in say Monterrey.

The *Hispanic issues* are complicated, and one person doesn’t speak for all. But I do believe that those that are interested in being part of the American family are persuadable to the conservative side if conservatism is well articulated. I don’t happen to think most politicians can boil down what conservatism is really about well. Most don’t believe in much, most don’t have the communication skills to articulate the benefits of free markets, low taxes, etc., etc. It’s much easier to just pass out goodies.

I really believe Marco Rubio is one person, no matter his background, Paul Ryan is another, that can carry that message. The fact that he can explain why English Only is a positive for Hispanics in a way that can’t be stereotyped unless one wants to be made to look ridiculous like Crist & that moderator recently, or even amnesty & border control makes him all that much more of a powerful figure. He can go toe-to-toe with someone like Jorge Ramos and tell him he’s wrong about who Latinos have to be.

I’ve been working hard the last few weekends for Bill Flores here in TX even though I have to drive about 80 minutes to get to his district because I think it’s important for Republicans to have elected Hispanics in their ranks, even though I loathe racial politics.

Marco matters, a lot. The Dems know this and are trying desperately to kneecap him before he can reach a national stage.

What’s he going to do when he loses?
Hey, maybe he’ll show up at the Senate in January. Just walking around staring at people. Maybe sit in the gallery or try to get into meetings to just sit and stare, try to begin conversations and give his opinions. They’ll have to get the Capital police to get him out.

I have a hard time believing this New York Times story about blacks going to Crist. They would be more likely to go to Rubio than Crist IMHO. I cannot believe they wouldn’t be disgusted at what Clinton and Crist tried to pull on Meeks.

I have a hard time believing this New York Times story about blacks going to Crist. They would be more likely to go to Rubio than Crist IMHO. I cannot believe they wouldn’t be disgusted at what Clinton and Crist tried to pull on Meeks.

PhiKapMom on October 30, 2010 at 12:34 AM

Yeah, the party of Bull Connor sent a pasty old white guy from Arkansas to talk the black kid into dropping out so another old white guy could win the election. That’s gotta go down well with the democratics’ captive minority vote.

I think it is pretty obvious who has been leaking out these Meek is dropping out rumors for weeks. I mean, it has always been pretty obvious to those of us that pay close attention. Not it has to be obvious to those that just aren’t that engaged too. The desperation is that transparent.

Crist isn’t cracking 30%. I’m not sure he’s cracking 25. What a fall his career has taken.

And HA commenters fill thread after thread with O’Donnell goofiness. She “dabbled in witchcraft” decades ago and had financial problems. Meanwhile, Crist has shed every position, principle and value he ever claimed. Now he’s wandering around offering competitors his family heirlooms.

Yeah, the party of Bull Connor sent a pasty old white guy from Arkansas to talk the black kid into dropping out so another old white guy could win the election. That’s gotta go down well with the democratics’ captive minority vote.

So Crist thought the black kid would drop out if he simply offered him a little “bling”? Does anyone else find this slightly racist?

I know, it’s a stretch, but leftists like Crist are always accusing conservatives of the same thing on a lot less evidence than this. I say, let’s go ahead and play by their rules for a little while, see if they can take it as well as they can dish it out.

Update: I wonder if this incident helps explain why Meek changed his mind about dropping out. Maybe he’s now so creeped out by Crist that he figures, whatever it may mean for Rubio, he’s got to stay in and deny this guy as many votes as possible. I don’t blame him a bit.

Again, forgive me if I’m repeating someone, but I hope Meek had access to a shower right after that meeting.

“…shows the Republican Rubio leading the field with 45 percent, followed by Gov. Charlie Crist at 28 percent and Meek at 21 percent. Only 6 percent of voters in the Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc. poll said they were undecided.
“There is simply no mathematical formula by which Crist or Meek can approach Rubio’s 45 percent support level,” said Mason-Dixon managing director Brad Coker

How shameless are the Democrats, and how dismissive of their core constituency, that they would attempt to throw a good Democratic soldier like Kendrick Meeks, who worked hard and played by the rules and earned his shot, under the bus for a lifelong Republican like Crist, who is an unabashed opportunist?

How long and faithfully and enthusiastically did Meeks support Clinton, even when the latter was known to have violated the law and his oath of office?

Blacks should notice this, and consider whether it actually fits the pattern whereby they have faithfully delivered a near-unanimous vote to the Democrats since 1964, yet their situation has in many ways deteriorated, and such progress as they have made is due at least as much to Republicans like Ike, Nixon, and Reagan as to any Democrat.

I cannot WAIT here in So Fla until Wednesday morning when I can say Congrats to Senator Rubio and all orangeman’s ads will be off my television and radio.
His latest ads pull for the pro-choice, saying the extremist Marco Rubio and Sarah Palin (lumping Sarah in with him) and their “extremist agenda” will repeal Roe vs Wade. Now he is giving out the cross, identifying himself with Jesus? He is just a mess of mixed messages.
At least if Kendrick Meeks were elected (and I will win Power Ball lotto at the same time) we know where he stands and what his true political positions are. He is at least a man of his principles (although I disagree with most of his) and he doesn’t sway. That’s why Crist can’t pull his followers away from Meeks.
Go Rubio!!!!!